Author: levente

At last Monday’s indoor bbq on September 30th, the Club was proud to be awarded the Quality Club award by James Hinves from Paddle UK.

Quality Club is Paddle UK’s accreditation programme for paddlesport clubs in England. By voluntarily participating in the Quality Club programme, a club demonstrates its commitment to not only meeting but exceeding standards in governance, safeguarding, and safety, as well as helping to promote equality, diversity, and inclusion within their communities.

by team leader, Evan Shephard

Congratulations to everyone who raced the first hasler of the new season at Pangbourne. The weather was perfect and we had a strong team of 52 paddlers out, with 13 new members racing for Reading for the first time, as well as a few long-time-missing racers. Well done to all of you! 

We managed some great results and a lot of promotions as well. Overall we came second getting 594 out of a possible 600 points. Losing out only to Falcon who got 598!

Our Podium Paddlers – Tymur, Balaz, Edward, Kev, Bob, Max, Aiden, Annabel, Peter, Tilla, Bean, Imi, Nigel, Erika, Karina, Katherine, Greta, Xavier and Alice!!! 

Looking forward to the next one – Banbury on 27th October.

Don’t forget Hasler finals on 6th October (only if you completed 3 races in 2023/24 season), entries by 27th September. Speak to us or your coach if you’re not sure if you qualified.

RCC junior member Annabel Hutchinson has had a busy summer, racing at the World and European Sprint Championships, as well as the World and European Marathon Championships. The last in this summer’s gruelling schedule was the World Marathon Championships in Croatia in mid September. Annabel was racing K2 with Mollie Ball from Devizes in the 19km junior ladies race. With a stunning performance and terrific portaging, they managed to gain Bronze medal place. Many congratulations to both Annabel and Molly.

by Team Leader Julia Mazur

September Nottingham Regatta was a resounding success for Reading Canoe Club, with an impressive 42 competitors taking part across 127 entries and 193 seats. The club’s strong participation placed them among the top, matching Elmbridge Canoe Club in entries, surpassing Richmond’s 124 entries by three, and only being topped by Weybridge Canoe Club’s 139 entries. The competition was fierce as clubs battled for the prestigious MacGregor Cup, and while the final results are yet to be announced, Reading Canoe Club celebrated 2 memorable days on the water.

One of the highlights of the event was seeing 10 new juniors making their debut, supported by 8 returning Men/Masters competitors. The atmosphere throughout the regatta was electric, with incredible team spirit on full display. While more experienced juniors took the initiative to mentor and assist the newcomers, showing remarkable sportsmanship, Phoebe Harbridge and Patrick Fillingham worked very hard to ensure they felt confident and prepared for their races throughout the days. The support from the club’s coaches and parents was invaluable, fostering a positive and inclusive environment for all.

In addition to the excitement of the races, Reading Canoe Club celebrated a record number of athlete promotions, marking a major milestone for the team. Those promoted include:

The regatta was a testament to the club’s exceptional camaraderie and dedication, with athletes, coaches, and supporters all coming together to create a fantastic atmosphere. Reading Canoe Club not only showcased their competitive edge but also their incredible team spirit, which will undoubtedly carry them forward to even greater success in the future.

From time to time, Kerstin summons up
members to help do a river clean up.
There seemed a lot in the river after the
recent Reading Festival, particularly with
the high winds, so Kerstin, Nigel and
some eco-warrior Under-10s paddled
downstream to see what they could
remove. A lot judging by the photos.
Thank you team and to Mark King for
going upstream during the week and
removing bags of rubbish near the
Fisheries.